alweld boat questions please

[whitearrow]

ok fellas i've been thinking about aluminum boats again and trying to cover all bases that i might encounter from small 2 acre pond to 300 acre lakes and everything inbetween. i like the alweld 1648 vv marsh with rd package. but, my question is if i go to a small pond thats electric only will a descent,not huge,trolling motor push it around well? also, would a 15hp evinrude etec push it around when i can use a gas engine? i really want a portable engine so as to not have issues on electric only lakes saying i fired the gas engine up in other words i want an outboard that i can mount and dismount as the situation dictates. what is the biggest gas engine you can get and be "portable" taken on and off for storage also please? i like alwelds jon boats but i also like the flat aluminum floor on the marsh series.

thanks,

Big Ed

[redmexican5081]

A 15HP motor would push that rig around.  That motor is going to be 100+ lbs.  I'm not sure I would classify that as portable.

[Catt]

I'm currently running a Alweld 1652VV Marsh RD Package Tunnel. 

 

The 1648VV weighs 580 lbs & will require a pretty good trolling motor, not to obtain any kind of speed but not to drain the battery quickly.

 

[Hower08]

Put a 24v trolling motor on it. I fish a pt165 tracker with a 75# 24v trolling motor and can fish 8+ hours on big electric only lakes some over 1000 acres. If you have a motor to heavy to remove just remove the fuel tank or line if it's a portable tank.  And don't worry about someone saying you started the motor. If you didn't do it then you have nothing to worry about 

[whitearrow]

at the moment i've got an old minn kota 36lb thrust trolling motor. wonder if that would do until i can afford a stronger one?

thanks,

Big Ed

[Way2slow]

Definitely will beat paddling, but avoid larger bodies of water and the wind.  In  smaller lakes and calm water, it will do fine, but the wind and large water can get you in serious trouble, unless the wind happens to be blowing the direction you want to go because you are going the direction the wind takes you if very strong.. 

[OnthePotomac]

If this will help, I have a 17'6" G3 and my TM is a 12 V, MG 55lb Digital 10 speed and I can stand on that thing all day with a 12V size 28 battery with no problem.  Go 12V digital for efficiency with a good battery and you can run the TM all day.  I am fighting tide and river flow all day also.

[whitearrow]

i've never owned a boat of the magnitude,1648,i'm contemplating getting. biggest i've owned is 14' not sure the width jon boat. so, what length shaft would be best for a trolling motor for the alweld 1648? i'm not sure whether i will run it on the bow or transom as of yet.

thanks,

Big Ed

[WRB]

Couple of questions unrelated to Alweld but small aluminum boats in general.

15 hp OB should plane your boat depending on weight distribution if that is a goal. The 9.9 to 15 hp OB's weigh 90 lbs, 6 hp weigh about 55 lbs but will not plane your boat.

1. Is plane speed needed? 

Your trolling motor sounds like a 12 volt transum mount. If you plan on sitting up front a deck mount trolling motor may be an option if the boat has a small front deck*. The problem with a TM up front without a OB in the rear is boat control, the backend wants to swing around unless you add a rudder.

2. Do you plan to sit up front to fish?

Tom

* 1648 VV Marsh model has a TM deck mtg surface. TM shaft length 42" std for deck, 36" for Clamp on.